URGENT - sick doe, two days post-delivery

[charliemikeoh]

The doe I was watching had two gorgeous doelings 54 hours ago and all seemed well until today. She had a rough assist, but delivered both girls and milked out well, cleaned them up, etc. Today, she would not eat grain or alfalfa. Her stall was FULL of diarrhea. Got her cleaned up, left her in the stall with only the hay and water. Tonight, still not eating ... but she has pelleted poop again ... and her milk is down to only about two cups. She has a NON-foul smelling ooze (like plasma) coming from her vagina, and there are some small spots of plasma-like ooze with bloody tissue in it in the straw; never saw that before. We saw her deliver two placentas; she did not eat either. But she did eat slightly more grain than she had been used to the night before last. My favorite doe. Help, please?

[Frosted Mini's]

Is this your doe or you are watching or someone else's? Everything sounds normal but the diarrhea. But you say that is better. Was she dewormed post kidding? What color are the insides of her eyelids? What is her temperature? Is she nursing the kids or being milked by humans only?

[Frosted Mini's]

Also, you mentioned something about an increase in grain, that could cause diarrhea.

[mygoat]

Take her temperature asap.

Check her eyelids. Did you deworm after kidding? I would do that for sure. I would agree that the diarrhea could be the influx of feed after kidding, but with all the stress you better bet the worms are flourishing right now.

Anywho, another thing I'd be checking is her breath for pregnancy toxemia and treating her for hypocalcemia. What is her diet like, prior to kidding? Hay/grain quality/quantity. A (rather late) sign of ketosis is ketone-smelling breath (Acetone 'nailpolish remover' smelling breath). Ketosis is an energy deficiency, and the ketones in her from mobilizing body fats for energy is suppressing her appetite, precisely when she needs glucose - it's a rapidly accellerating downward spiral.

Hypocalcemia is USUALLY NOT a calcium deficiency, but a problem with the hormonal regulation of the release/sequestering of Calcium within the body, usually due to excessive calcium diets in late pregnancy, though it can be due to inadequate calcium intake, it is rare considering modern management. Symptoms are a LOW body temp (despite the name 'milk fever'), decreased production, lethargy, retained placenta/weak contractions (poor muscle response due to lack of calcium available), trembling etc. When they lay down, they tend to lay sternal with their head swung over one side. Treatment needs to be fast, and repeat treatments are usually necessary.

How is she standing/laying? What is she doing?

What do you mean by 'rough' kidding? Was it a leg back or really big kids or head back presentations? Really rough deliveries restrict their ability to move (or desire to move) and can limit their visits to the hay or feed for fear of not being able to defend themselves against the others. They are in serious pain, and feel bad. I bring feed to those does and put them in a kidding pen. I'm not lenient on kidding problems though - they better be mild, or moderate and not a common occurance... 2 times in a row or 3 times in their lives where they NEEDED assistance is cull worthy here. Most mispresentations occur with multiples (3+) and those get some leniency to some degree, simply because not a lot of other animals are expected to have several offspring that big at once, so presentation problems are just going to be more likely with more kids. But better be 'mild' such as 1 leg back or breech - where the doe can physically pass them generally on their own with no assistance (I've had does pass kids like that on their own, as well as both front legs back). I don't count large singles as difficult births in the culling department, as that is mostly management and genetic related (that we don't really select for, being litter bearers), though those can be quite painful and tough kiddings even with perfect presentation.

[Alice In TX/MO]

Excellent post, Dona.